Delivery apparatus for confectionery machines



June 3, 1930. A. L. BAUSMAN 1,761,064

DELIVERY APPARATUS FOR C ONFECTIQNERY. MACHINES Filed on. v, 1927 2 SheetsSheet l m w m m BY Zea ATTORNEYS.

caramel is fa good:erample, vqil1 Patented June 3, 1930 T:E r Erica f;

ALONZO LINTON BAUSMAN, or. srarrrorrnnn, massaorzoss'rrs, ASSIGNOR JTVQ I i' TIDNAL EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A COBPQRA- TION OF MASSACHUSETTS DELIVERY APPARATUS r011-'conrncrrounay'mncrrmns Application filed October 7, 1927; 1Seria1 No..224,668

This inventionrelates to improvements in confection making machinesand has particular reference to the so-called delivery appa-' ratus therefor.

Such apparatus may take a wide variety of 7 forms but these various formsmaybe resolved into two distinct types. In one type,

the, delivery apparatusconsists of an endless conveyer of considerable length WhlClllISHitlly, although not necessarily, travels through a so-called cold box, whereby the confections,

such for example ascoated confections, are

carried by the belt. until their coatings have cooled or. hardenedQ In this type of apparatus, the confections, when they reach the delivery point are ready for packing. In the other type, the confections are delivered upon individual plaques, which are. usually although not necessarily, pieces of waxed paper,

and'provisionsare made, for successively presenting the plaques into confectionreceiving relation with the coating or other confection snaking machine. The plaques, after having been loaded with confections, are removed and disposed of in various ways. Sometimes they are placed on trays which are trans-f ferred manually or automatically to theconveyer of a separate cooling. apparatus. In

other cases, the plaques are stacked in racks, usually in .a cold room.. 1 In some cases, however, where air drying will suffice. to: harden theconfections, as for example with caramel, the plaques are stacked in a room at ordinary -.temperature. -With the second type of apparatus, the confections v when removed from the delivery apparatus, requirefurther treatment before they are ready for packing. In both types of apparatus, it has been the practice to deposit the confectionson a waxed or similar surface so that the confections will;

not adhere thereto. Inthefirst' type of ap paratus thefendless belt has been made, of

waxed or similar paper, oil cloth and the like and in thesecond type the plaques themselves are formed of theaboye or'similar materials.

Whilethejabove materials sufiice for the ordinary work ofconfection-making machines, they are not suitable for all kinds of confections. Sticky substances, of which e tsthe 'c'onfections g,

It is another object of the invention to p'ro- 1 vide means for coating the confection receiving surfaceswith a greasy or oily substance 'f prior to the time of application of the flour. in

80 r and make the layer i f of flour coherent; if y e;

Another objectof the-invention is to provide means 'forworking the flour into the oil, or grease, the better to secure coherency of the flour particles. In carrying out this obj-i; ject,I prefer to provide a belt which underconfection making machines.

i l l'p q q entconfection-receiw 1 i i lngmembers of the delivery apparatus of Theproblem of, this invention is to 1 pro vide means for automatically treating and I '55 preparing the reoelvmg surface of a confec-i; tlon receiving member of the delivery-apps v 1 ratus of a confection making machine, whether for coating purposes or otherwise, sol as v to render it suitable for use with confections having coatings or outer surfaces of a sticky substance,such as caramel for example.

In carrylng out this ob1ect, means are provided for dusting the confection-receiving' surface with flour or the like before it reaches the deliveryjend of the coating'Inachine'and f "in'many cases theconfection receiving memher, in order to reach this position has to travel upside down so that the flour-dusted surface is lowermost. This gives riseto, on other problem which is to holdthe; flour in 1 place on; the confection receiving surface surface moves into This filmof oil or greasetendseto, hold the particles of flourtogether I from the time whenuit' is applieduntil the position to r'ejceivethe; Y I V .H

lies and moves in .contact with the confection receiving surface; or surfaces whilethey are disposeddownwardly. This belt not only belt'press the flour into the grease. Another in variousuways, One way is to' m'akethe way is to make thefbelt travel ata. slightly different speed than the. confection receiving surface, whereby "the belt will serve to; rub

' t efl ur'i t t flgr sey r s r nre e belt is made to accomplish the result in both ways.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention will be disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a delivery apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view, drawn to a much larger scale and illustrating the manner in which the flour is applied and worked into the confection receiving plaques;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevationa-l view of the confection receiving member, showing a plaque moving into confection receiving position;

Fig. 4'is a view taken on the line %4 of Fig. 1 and shows a device for applying flour or the like to the plaques;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the flour applying device taken from a direct-ion opposite to that in which Fig. 1 is taken;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatical view illustrative of a modification of the invention.

Referring to these drawings, A represents a portion of a confection coating machine, which may be of any suitable type, and Z) is the coating machine belt, which carries the coated confections, such as 0. The confections'c pass off belt 6 onto plaques p, of waxed paper or the like. These plaques may be held to a delivery belt 10 in any suitable manner which will permit quick and convenient application of the plaques to, or the removal of them from belt 10. As shown, each plaque is held at one endbeneath a flap f A series of-such'fiaps are secured at suitable intervals to belt 10. The arrangement is like that disclosed in my prior U. S. Letters Patent No.

927,928,'granted July 13, 1909, to which reference is made for a more complete disclosure. Since the type of delivery apparatus, whlch has been'chosen by way of illustratlve example to show the background for this invention,

is fully disclosed in said patent, a brief description of it will suffice for present purposes. The belt 10, in its upper stretch of travel runs over and issupported by a table 11 and at one end is trained around the rounded edge of a thin bar 12 (Fig. 3) secured to table 11. At

its other end, the belt 10 is trained around a 7 driving roll 13, which is mounted at its ends in a pedestal ll and driven by a worm 16 and worm gear froma shaft 17. Table 11 is supported at one end from'pedestal 14c and at the other end by legs '18and at an intermediate point by legs 19. Shaft 17 isdriven .1 by a chain 20 from a shaft 21,'whi'ch in turn is driven from a power shaft of the coating machine A in the usual manner.

Adjacent the driving roll 13 is a similar driving roll 22 for a canvas belt 23, which is of av width at least equal to that of plaques p. Roll 22 is driven by a worm 25 and worm gear 24 from shaft 17. The bearings for rolls 13 and 22 are mounted in pedestal id for longitudinal adjustment and can be moved by turning the screws 26 and 27, respectively. The belt 23 is trained between the roll 22 and a small roll 28 (Fig. 3) located adjacent but below plate 12. The upper stretch of belt 23 passes partially around and beneath roll 13 so as to press against the plaques 29 carried by the belt 10. Similarly roll 28 causes the upper stretch of belt 23 to be pressed against the belt 10 and the plaques carried thereby. By adjusting the screws 26 and 27 the two adjacent stretches of belts 10 and 23 may be caused to move in contiguous relation-and the belt 23 caused to press against belt 10. The intermediate idler rolls 29 merely support the belts and prevent them from sagging. The belt 23 is preferably driven from roll 22 at a slightly different speed than belt 10. Belt 23 naturally turns roll 28 andthe latter carries a pinion 30, which drives through a gear 31 the two pinions 32, which in turn drive the usual plaque stretching rolls 33.

It will not be necessary to consider the action of these rolls as it has been disclosed in the aforesaid patent and has no special cooperation with the elements of this invention. So also the manner in which the plaques are held to belt 10 and carried between the latter and belt 23 in their return travel is sufiiciently disclosed in said patent.

, Overlying the upper stretch of belt 10 and adjacent driving roll 13 is a hopper 35, which contains a supply of flour or the like and has associated therewith some suitable means for distributing the flour in a substantially even layer over the plaques 10 shortly before they start to turn around the roll and commence their return stretch of travel. Located a little ahead'of this hopper is a casing 36, supported by and above table 11, through which casing the plaques p are caused to travel and receive a coating of oil or grease, applied in any suitable manner. The plaques p, when loaded with freshly coated confections, travel towards the left as viewed in Fig. 1, and are removed, as soon as possible and considerably before they reach casing 36. Fresh plaques are placed on belt .10 to replace those removed, and this operation also is effected early enough in the upper stretch of travel of belt 10 so that fresh and unladen plaques only'pass through casing 36.

In Fig. 7 an exemplary apparatus for ap plying the oil or grease is shown. As there indicated, two spray nozzles 37 are provided,

one at each end of casing 36, and these nozzles are arranged to throw a spray of oil or the into side troughs 42, from which it may be drained into any-suitable receptacle. The oil spraylng 'devlce 1s, or may be,s1m1lar'1n general form to that used for applyingpaint and is given merely by Wayof an illustrative ex ample'of one-suitable means for accomplishing-the desired function. 1

InFigs 4, 5 and 6 I have shown an exemplary apparatus for applyingflour to the plaques The hopper 35, heretoforerefe'rred to, is supportedasindicatedfin Figsfland '4'," from an angle iron frame 43 and extends across and above the level of the upper stretch offlbelt IThis hopper has an outlet 44 in its" bottom; wall through which flour falls and-lodges upon a re"ciprocating screen 45. This screen is mountedto reciprocate in} a direction jcrosswise of the travel of belt 10 and slides on angle iron guides 46. The screen is recipro'cated by two connecting rods 47', arranged 0118 on each side thereof, which rods are connected-to crank pins '48,'fixed one to each' end 'ofa shaft 49, mounted in bearings on the 'backiwal'l of hopper 35. Extending through the hopper-and mounted for slidingimovement'in the end 'wall's th'ereof, is a shaftj50-which centrally overlies the outlet 44 i'Gne -end of shaft 5O-hasa pin and slot connection with the upper end of a lever 51,;yvhich is fixedto-a shaft 52, rotatably sup. ported from the baclrWall of hopperf35 and above shaft 49; Alsofik'ed to 'shaft"52 is a lever-53 having two depending arms which straddle an eccentrick5'4, fixedon-shaft 149.

- Theiz l'atter' flis driven by a chain 55 from a shaft, which is niounted in bearings fiXefdto the-rear legs of pedestal 14 and lies directly bhind shaft QO, as viewed I in Fig. 1,b'ei'ng connected to shaftQ O 'bya: chain 5 6. I I Referring back toFigs. 4 and 5, it Will'be seenthat: screen 45 and Sim 11150 are i moved back and forth; gini parallel paths; Screen{45 lSi intended to distribute the-"flour 'ov'erthe plaque by a' sifting faction; but 'Iin' order to make it"as efiectiv as possible, it is'desirable to: control the'discharge of flour from the out: let-44 of hopper 35 so thatnolarge accumulations offlouriwill lodge 0a the screen. To-

effectithis result' a c'oijl spring- 57 '(Figf 6)}is s'ecured'to and' be'lowshaft 5Q and the lower periphery of the spring o'verli'es the outlet 44; in closelyadj acerit relation "therewith;

shown, an angle iron 58 is'adjustablyicon nected atintervalsthro-ughoutiits length by screws"59 to'shaft The legs of the angle iron diverge downwardly and outwardly from the vertical c'enter line ofthe hopper and these legs form-aseat to-rec'eive'thespring. A halflroundbar 60 is passed through the spring and 'the screws 5 9 thread v into: bar 60,kwherebythe upperperipheral portion of the spring. is clamped between this barand angle iron 58. spring (see Fig. 4) preferably taper up wardly away from the outlet. Unless the ends of the spring are tapered, the flow of flour through outlet 44 is not uniform throughout its length. Less'flour would flow from the ends o'f outlet 44 than at interme'- diatepoints. Theispring with its many coils,functionsto restrict the outlet and retardthelfiowof flour. 1 The spring, being The ends of theconstantly reciprocated," shakes downflour 1n substantially controlled andregulated quantities and caus'esthe-supply to screen 45 to be distributed substantially. evenly thereover.

i In operation, the freshf-and unladen plaques p, which are placed on belt l' O at an intermediate point in its upper stretch of travel, move to the left, as viewed in Fig;'1,

and first pass through casinge36 and there after pass in underthe-reciprocating screen 45. Thus, each plaqueis first given'a coating ofany suitable oily orgreasy substance and thereafter :this coating is. covered with fiour, which is dusted distributed thereon bytthe reciprocatingfscreen. Shortly after thesetwo coatings have been applied to' 'a- 'plaque,'-it bends "around roll '13 and com mences that stretch of travel-which leads-to the confection coating machine. :Durin'g 7 that stretch of travelthe flour dustedsurface of. each plaque lieswdownward and the flour would, to a certain extent-,'-fall from the v plaque unless meanswere providedto pre contactWith'the' oily' or greasy substance.

The flour soaks up some of the greasy substanceiand the result is to inali'e the loose particlesof the flour stick togethertosome eX- tent and render the layer coherenti Also, the difference in'speed' of belts-1O and' 23'fp'ros 'du'ces a-irolling o-f the flour particles;-Which servesto rub them into the'grease' and increase the desired effect; Thusythe-flour is worked into the grease bylpressing andrubbingjah d this is effected almost immediately after belt p 23 comesin contactwith the flour, i 'e., as it.

bends 'faround under roll 13.- 'rhe'desciiibed" action, as-effected at this one location* might I under some condltlons suffice, 1'11 WlllCll :case

belt 23 would not need to underlie so rnuch' o f lower stretch of travel of belt 10 as I deem it desirable to secure the best results. The aim is to get the flour worked into the grease to'a sufficient extent so that the flour will adhere to the plaque, when it is turned around the rounded edge of plate 12 and brought into confection receiving relation with the coat ing machine A, i. e., into the initial part of its upper stretch of travel. It isrnot desired to have the layer of flour 1 completely oil soaked, or completely wet through, and care must be exercised (by regulation of the amount .of oil coating, the amount of flour coating and the amount of pressing and rubbing effected by belt 23), to get the desired results. The confections 0 are delivered from belt 5, and transferred to the plaques in the usual manner, except that the confections rest upon a layer of flour or other like material, to which the sticky coating, such as caramel or the like, will not adhere. The

confection laden plaques are removed from belt 10 as soon as possible and replaced with fresh plaques which are then successively treated in the manner above described.

It will be apparent that in lieu of the series of plaques, a single endless plaque could be substituted, as indicated in Fig. 8. The treatment of this endless plaque could be substantially the same except that it might be necessary to provide a scraper (conventionally indicated at to remove the coating of flour from the plaque, after the confections have been removed and before the oiland flour applying devices are reached. In this figure, the endless plaque, which is designated 71, receives the confections as before from coating machine A and carries them through a cold box 7 2, whereby the confections are cooled. The cooled confections are picked off plaque 71 after it emerges'from the cold box 72 and before the scraper 7 0 is reached.

While the invention has been disclosed in connection with a coating machine, it will be obvious that the invention is applicable to other classes of confection making machines and is not dependent on, or restricted to, the particular type of machine illustrated.

' The invention has been disclosed herein, in an embodiment at present preferred, for illustrative purposes but the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by theforegoing description.

What I claim is: V

1. The combination with a confectionery machine adapted to deliver confections having sticky surfaces, of a member movablein such relation to said machine as to receive confections therefrom,- means for distribut member until confections have been delivered thereon from said machine.

2. The combination with a confectionery machine adapted to deliver confections having sticky surfaces, of a member movable in such relation to said machine as to receive confections therefrom, means for applying a greasy substance to the confection receiving surface of said member, and means for distributing flour or the like over the greased surface of said member.

3. The combination with a confectionery machine adapted to deliver confections having sticky surfaces, of a member movable in such. relation to said machine as to receive confections therefrom, means for applying a greasy substance to the confection receiving surface of said member, means for distributing flour or the like over the greased surface of said member and means for working the flour into the greasy coating.

4. The combination with a confectionery machine and means for successively presenting plaques into confection-receiving relation therewith, of means for preparing the plaques to receive the confections, comprising means for coating the confection receiving surface of each plaque with a greasy substance, and means for distributing flour or the like over said greasy coating.

5. The combination with a confectionery machine and means for successively presenting plaques into confection-receiving relation therewith, of means for preparing the plaques to receive the confections, comprising means for coating the confection receiving surface of each plaque with a greasy substance, means for distributing flour or the like over said greasy coating, and means for packing the flour into the greasy coating to hold the flour in place on the plaque.

6. The combination with a confectionery machine and means for successively presenting plaques into confection-receiving relation therewith, of means for preparing the plaques to receive the confections, comprising means for coating the confection receiving surface of the plaque with a greasy substance, means for distributing flour or the like over said .greasy coating, and means for rubbing the flour into the greasy coating to hold the flourin place on the plaque.

7. In aconfectionery machine, of the type wherein confections are delivered to plaques carried by an endless belt while said belt is moving in its upper StI'BtClLOf travel and the loaded plaques are removed from said belt .and replaced with empty plaques during said stretch of travel, the combination with such belt and plaques of means for successively applying to each empty plaque a greasy coating, means for distributing-flouror the like over said coating, and a member movable along the lower stretch of said beltand in the same direction and adapted to hold the flour from falling from the plaques while the latter are travelling in the inverted rela-v tion. 1

8. In a confectionery machine, of the type wherein confections are delivered to plaques carried by an endless belt while said belt is moving in its upper stretch of travel and the loaded plaques are removed from said belt and replaced with empty plaques during said stretch of travel, the combination with such belt and plaques of means for successively applying to each empty plaque a greasy coating, means for distributing flour or the like over said coating, and a member movable along the lower stretch of said belt and in the same direction, said member adapted to hold the flour from falling from the plaques while the latter are travelling in inverted relation and to press the flour into said greasy coat- 3. In a confectionery machine, of the type wherein confections are delivered to plaques carried by an endless belt while said belt is moving in itsupper stretch of travel and the loaded plaques are removed from said belt and replaced with empty plaques during said stretch of travel, the combination with such belt and plaques of means for successively applying to each empty plaque a greasy coating, means for distributing fiour or the like over said coating, and a member movable along the lower stretch of said belt and in the same direction, said member adapted to hold the flourfrom falling from the plaques while the latter are travelling in inverted relation, and being movable at a different speed than said belt, whereby it causes the flour to be rubbed into the greasy coating.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature. 1

ALONZO LINTON 'BAUSMAN, 

